The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-02
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
The Field. parrn and C+arder

Inc FleIu, Fafln ana Garden.
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Forest Fires and Impoverished Land
Itappears to be disputed question wheth
sr or not annual forest fires impoverish II
and on which they occur. Itcan be ready
zen that this question is an important Ae
those who live in the pine country ofhe
South and when every year millions ofcres
ire burned over. Mr.. Daniel Den,tt, of
Mississippi says it is generally belieyd that
hese fires do impoverish the so. We,
without careful reflection, have favfed that
pinion. But what do the facts tfch! Let
is see.
At least % per cent. of the sbstance Of
try forest leaves, decayed woa, etc, con-
simed by these annual fires gqupward and
ningle with the air whence tiey originally
came, and 5 per cent, the ahes remain on
the soil and in time mingle Nth it and help
enrich it, These contain line, phosphoric
acid, potash and several cher ingredients
of less Importance than tfese. All of these
came from the SOIL and every grain of them,
by the action of fire, is given back to the
soil to be used again forfertilizing purposes.
Fire cannot consume them or diminish their
weight. Portions of these ashes are drawn
from the subsoil by the roots of trees and
plants. and by fire or natural decay of the
plants and trees they are deposited on the
surface and make the surface soil more fer
tile at the expense of the sub-soil Some of
these mineral fertilizers come from ten feet
or more below the surface, and are taken up
wherever the roots of trees or plants extend
eutward or downward for food.
Then if forest fires send all of these ele-
ments that came from the atmosphere back
from whence they came, and the mineral
elements back to the soil from whence they
came, how does this action impoverish the
soil!
Do forest trees whose fallen leaves are
annually destroyed by fire, indicate grad
ually impoverished soil? We think not. No
one denies that if the leaves and decayed
wood are left to mingle with the surface soil
he soil will become much richer That is
lature's mode of enriching poor soils. These
caves and decayed vegetation are natures
ertilizers. Nature thus mingles the ele-
rents of the atmosphere with elements
ound in the soil, and these, properly blended
nd fixed in the soil, constitute fertility.
Does not burning the leaves, then, simply
revent nature from making the soil richer
ithout making it any poorer! Do not the
me, phosphorus, potash, etc., brought from
Glow and left on the surface make the lands
'mewhat richer than they were before?
oes this hold good in regard to yearly fires
prairies and in marshes
Burning the leaves and rubbish in forests
lnually has its good results to offset any
advantages that may result from it.
here fires destroy numerous snakes and
ermin and insects in untold millions. The
rest fires sometimes occur when all of these
re out in full blast, breeding and depositing
ggs without number. Tick bugs, worms,
Ioths, lizards, scorpions, spiders and a long
st of other troublesome creatures are de-
royed by these fires. Then they destroy
otten and fallen timber, rotten limbs of
lllen trees and chips of the woodman, and
i've place to the native forest grasses, that
row with great vigor in the spring, and the
attic are very fond of them. Besides, the
Tres destroy the young scrubby growth of
hrubs and vines and gives the cattle better
hance to range through the woods in gath
ring their daily supply of food